How to Start Door to Door Sales: A Step-by-Step Guide

I started in 2016 in Houston and made $32K. My best year was $472K in 2025, in Kansas City. That number is nonemployee compensation (pre-tax), not take-home. Eight markets. The cities below are the record.

Step 1. Pick the market you will actually work

These are the markets, in order:

• 2016, Houston, age 19: $32K
• 2017, Houston, age 20: $119K
• 2018, Houston, age 21: $148K
• 2019, Dallas, age 22: $222K
• 2020, Austin, age 23: $300K
• 2021, Phoenix, age 24: $463K
• 2022, Austin, age 25: $360K
• 2023, Omaha, age 26: $291K
• 2024, Kansas City, age 27: $320K
• 2025, Kansas City, age 28: $472K (best year)
• 2026, Nashville, age 29: 1099 still pending

Houston taught me to stay out. Phoenix in 2021 was a big year. It was not the best year. Kansas City in 2025 was.

1. Live in the city for the season. A spreadsheet will not knock the doors.
2. Ask that city's business office about a door-to-door permit before you start.
3. Walk the block once before you pitch it.

Step 2. Use one short pitch

Keep the opener under 30 seconds. One greeting, one reason you are on the porch, one question. Then stop talking.

I log doors, sits, and sales. The number that moves income is how many conversations you start.

Step 3. Carry a badge and a way to log the door

Wear a badge with your name and the company. I wear a Vivint badge. If you cannot say who you work for in one sentence, do not knock.

Step 4. Know the pay before you quit your job

On this team, year 1 is usually $40K to $80K in a summer. Year 2 is usually $90K to $150K. Year 3 and on, the range I have lived next to is $200K to $500K. My own first year was $32K because I was bad and I stayed. My best year was $472K in 2025.

Step 5. Stay straight

Wear the badge. Do not invent savings. Do not pressure a signature. You get paid on the deals you close. Vivint is a real smart-home company, part of NRG.

Step 6. Then build the team

After the $472K year I started hiring a 100-rep team. The season I am hiring for is 2027, Jacksonville first.

Book the interview if you want the seat. It is a 15-min group interview, Tuesdays 8 PM ET, with Jay or Massimo.

The hiring steps are in how to get into door to door sales. The first month is in door to door sales tips for beginners.

Jay Roberts (Jacob Dean Roberts) has spent 10 years in door-to-door sales across 8 markets, building a $2M net worth and leading sales teams. He is the author of "I Wish You The Worst: The D2D Playbook" and is currently building a 100-rep sales team.